Go Figure

One College Loses Its Feather, One College Gains A Feather

October 08, 2007

Lose a feather, gain a feather. In the mascot business, it's all, it seems, relative.

William and Mary was stripped of its feather, the one long featured, along with the letters W and M, in its simple logo. Last year the NCAA, apparently lacking anything better to occupy its attention - like bad boy players and corrupt coaches or downright exploitation of athletes - said it was offensive to Native Americans and banned W&M from hosting post-season competitions unless it ditched it.

So, instead of devoting all their attention to something important - like, say, the education and character of young people - the folks at W&M have spent time devising a graphic that illustrates its team name - the NCAA let it keep "Tribe;" go figure - without using the obvious.

The new logo should make a debut by homecoming, the last weekend in October.

Meanwhile, the college's grown-up offspring, Christopher Newport University, has gained a feather, also a mascot-related item. It's in the flourish of a hat atop the head of a statue of the 17th-century sea captain of the same name. He recently took up residence at the intersection of J. Clyde Morris Boulevard and Warwick Boulevard.

The statue, and its various elements - including said hat - have attracted a lot of attention. The issue has to do with his right arm. He has one, in the statue. He did not, in actuality, by the time he led the first batch of English settlers to Jamestown. That much we know.

It's hard to say about the hat. Or the feather.

One mascot is not politically correct. One is not anatomically correct. Who knew they'd be so troublesome?